Weather in Seattle in January
January in Seattle is a coat month. Treat it as cities, food and short walks, not as a terrace holiday.
In United States, this is how Seattle actually wears January, not how a country centroid would. Compared with August and December, January sits in the middle of Seattle's year.
Pack for Seattle in January, not for a brochure that was photographed in another season.
- Average temp
- 6°C
3–8°C
- Rainfall
- 147 mm
Showers likely
- Sunshine
- —
- Wind
- 13 km/h
What to expect
Daytime
You want a proper coat in Seattle in January, not a festival jacket. Wind makes the same afternoon feel sharper than the map suggests.
Outdoor time is the middle of the day. Finish plans before the light goes. Evenings are for indoors.
Rain
January is a wetter month in Seattle. Showers are part of the deal, not a spoiled surprise.
Waterproof shoes matter more than a rain plan for a beach, especially if a beach is not why you came. Build indoor hours into the afternoon.
Evening
Evenings are cooler. A layer helps after sunset.
What to pack
Rain jacket
A layer for cooler evenings
Where to stay in Seattle
Dates are a starting point for January.
Travel guides for Seattle
What to read before you book.
Average weather in Seattle
TemperatureRainfall
Similar weather in January
Other destinations whose January averages sit close to this one.
Check another month
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FAQs about Seattle
Climate averages for Seattle, 1991–2020.
The best time to visit Seattle is between May and October, the most comfortable stretch of the year on these averages.
August is the hottest month, with an average around 19°C.
November is the wettest month, with about 160 mm of rain.
No. These are 1991–2020 climate normals from Meteostat, not a live forecast. Actual weather in any given week can differ.
